Los Angeles, Ca
Sandy Fire forces evacuation of nearly 44,000 Simi Valley residents
More than 43,000 Simi Valley residents are under evacuation orders, while hundreds of others under evacuation warnings wait to see if they are next as the stubborn, wind-whipped Sandy Fire continues to rage.
The fire erupted around 10:45 a.m. Monday in the area of Sandy Avenue, before quickly spreading amid gusty winds and burning a home on Trickling Brook Court to the ground, as well as two vehicles that were outside the residence.
As of Cal Fire’s latest advisory at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night, the fire has scorched nearly 1,700 acres, with firefighters gaining 5% containment on the blaze.
While cooler overnight temperatures diminished the intensity of the fire, unpredictable winds proved a challenge, igniting a spot fire that forced Ventura County Fire Department officials to deploy more than 100 additional firefighters, bringing the total to 869 crew members battling the blaze.
Firefighters from several different agencies made structure protection their top priority, preventing flames from encroaching on homes with combined ground and air assaults.
Many residents under evacuation warnings have already left their homes, though many others, like Tadd Wooton, have chosen to remain and keep a close eye on the conditions.
“We’ve got a good fire break here, so we’re not leaving,” he told KTLA’s Chris Wolfe. “We’re hoping for the best. It is a little scary, but the wind is going the other direction. So, we’re going to wait it out. We’ve got the cars packed and ready to go.”
Chris Martinez told KTLA that while they are under evacuation orders, they plan to wait and see if the fire gets worse and, if so, they will be ready to go.
“We have our bags ready and we’ll be ready to go if needed,” he explained. “I want to thank all the firefighters. They are truly one of our greatest heroes.”
One resident shared time-lapse footage from her doorbell camera that shows just how fast clear skies devolved into a firestorm barreling through the neighborhood, chasing people and their pets out of their homes.
“You saw what we got engulfed by,” Jen Borrow, who shared the footage with KTLA, said. “It was like the middle of a tornado.”
Officials with Simi Valley Unified School District announced that all campuses will be closed Wednesday, with only essential personnel reporting for work.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Evacuation orders have been added to areas east of the fire. All residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts through the Ventura County website.
Additional information on the Sandy Fire can be found through Cal Fire advisories.
Los Angeles, Ca
Violent multi-vehicle crash leaves L.A. firetruck overturned, 2 firefighters injured
Two firefighters were rushed to the hospital after a multi-vehicle collision that left their firetruck overturned on top of a vehicle on the sidewalk and against a Sunland business Tuesday evening.
Details are limited and it’s unclear exactly how the crash occurred, but crews with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the 8200 block of Foothill Boulevard near McVine Avenue where the crash scene ended up against an H&R Block building at around 6:45 p.m.
Officials said the involved fire engine was responding to a structure fire when the crash occurred, leaving both firefighters with minor injuries. They were taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Footage of the incident posted to Citizen and captured by Sky5 showed a massive response by first responders, with at least a half-dozen fire engines and three ambulances at the scene. The crash also brought out crowds of onlookers and snarled traffic in the area.
The overturned firetruck was resting on top of what appeared to be a dark-colored SUV that sustained serious visible damage.
Crews cordoned off the area around the crash, while the cause of the incident was being investigated.
The identities of the two injured firefighters are being withheld pending notification of their families. No civilians were injured in the incident, officials said.
Los Angeles, Ca
Cardi B in the lead as 2026 BET Awards nominations announced
Okurrrrr!
The nominations for the 2026 BET Awards were released on Tuesday morning, and Cardi B is in the lead with six nominations.
Her nominations include: The Fashion Vanguard Award, Best Collaboration (for “Errtime Remix” featuring Jeezy and Latto), Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Video Director of the Year with Patientce Foster, Album of the Year for “Am I the Drama?” and Viewers’ Choice for her song “Outside.”
Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar and singer Mariah the Scientist are tied with five nods, while Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean and Latto have racked up four each.
A$AP Rocky, Bruno Mars, Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, Jill Scott, Kehlani, Metro Boomin, SZA, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, T.I. and YK Niece each received three.
This year’s awards show will feature two new categories: the Fashion Vanguard Award and Pulse Award.
“The Fashion Vanguard Award will recognize a global figure whose fashion presence has had long-standing cultural impact, has significantly influenced style narratives, and continues to elevate fashion as a form of storytelling across music, film, sports, and public life,” organizers explained. “This year’s nominees include: A$AP Rocky, Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Cardi B, Colman Domingo, Doechii, Rihanna, Teyana Taylor and Zendaya.”
In the meantime, the Pulse Award “will recognize a creator, campaign, or content series that most powerfully moved Black culture forward in digital spaces by sparking conversation, building community, and defining the moment online. his award celebrates the intersection of creativity, authenticity, and cultural impact across social media, streaming, podcasting, and beyond.”
The nominees in the category are “85 South Show,” “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer,” Charlamagne Tha God, Don Lemon, Druski, “It Is What It Is, Joe and Jada,” “On the Radar” and “R&B Money Podcast.”
“All of our nominees represent the very best of Black culture across music, film, sports, and beyond, and with the introduction of the Fashion Vanguard Award and the Pulse Award, we’re proud to honor even more of the ways our culture continues to show up and evolve,” said executive vice president of, Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET, Connie Orlando.
Comedian and internet personality Druski will host the ceremony this year, making him the youngest-ever host of the awards.
The BET Awards will air June 28, at 8 p.m. PST on BET and be simulcast on BET HER, CMT, LOGO, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon (NAN), Paramount, POP, VH1, Comedy Central, and TV Land. It will take place at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles.
The ceremony comes amid the three-day immersive BET Experience 2026, which runs from June 25-27 and features fan-focused events.
Voting for the awards is set to open soon.
Los Angeles, Ca
Simi Valley School District cancels school Tuesday as Sandy Fire doubles in size
The Simi Valley Unified School District announced that all campuses will be closed Tuesday as the Sandy Fire burning in the Simi Hills has nearly doubled in size as of Monday evening.
The statement comes after multiple schools located in the foothills just north of the Sandy Fire were evacuated due to the wildfire Monday.
Simi Valley Unified initially released a statement saying all students were safe, but being kept indoors due to poor air quality caused by the fire. Sky5’s Rich Pricket reported that there was a long line of parents waiting to pick up their children at Hillside Middle School at 12:45 p.m.
At around 2 p.m. Monday, all students still present at Crestview Elementary School and Mountain View Elementary School were evacuated by bus to Simi Valley High School at 5400 Cochran Street.
“Many students had already been picked up by their families before the remaining were bused to Simi Valley High School,” a statement on the Simi Valley Unified School District website reads. “All families were notified.”
All seventh-period classes and afterschool events were also canceled at Hillside Middle School and Royal High School. These schools were not evacuated.
The school district took part in a meeting Monday afternoon, which included officials from the Simi Valley Police Department, Rancho Simi Recreation and Parks District, the County of Ventura, and the Ventura County Fire Department. At the meeting, officials decided to cancel all classes tomorrow “out of an abundance of caution,” Simi Valley Unified School District Superintendent Hani Youssef said.
“With the knowledge that so many of our families are directly impacted by the Sandy Fire, ALL Simi Valley Unified School District schools and campuses will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19, for most staff and all students,” Youssef’s statement reads. “Only key leadership staff will be contacted to report to work for varied assignments. We hope that by providing this early information, our families will be able to make appropriate arrangements for childcare tomorrow.”
The closures include all on-campus afterschool programs. The school district will make a decision tomorrow whether or not classes will resume Wednesday.
As of 7:30 p.m. Monday, the Sandy Fire is 1,364 acres in size. The fire remains uncontained. More than 28,000 Simi Valley residents are under evacuation order due to the fire.
-
News22 minutes agoThe San Diego mosque shooting victims remembered as ‘heroes’ for protecting children
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoHart of Detroit Summer fest set for Juneteenth with Kash Doll and more
-
San Francisco, CA3 hours agoHeadlines, May 20 – Streetsblog San Francisco
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoOne Surprise Dallas Cowboys Cut to Expect After OTAs
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoUnited States expected to indict Raúl Castro today. Here’s how to watch.
-
Boston, MA3 hours agoLinkedIn releases top 10 best employers for career growth in Boston
-
Denver, CO3 hours agoBattle Pussy Wants You to Know They Are Not Cute — The Denver VOICE
-
Seattle, WA3 hours agoNew Exhibition Explores Seattle Black Panther Legacy Through Art And History








